DISCOVERY
At around 2:30 PM on April 9, 1989, the decomposing remains of an unidentified male were discovered in a tobacco barn in Williamstown, Grant County, Kentucky. The property was located just off KY 22, approximately 7.5 miles west of Dry Ridge.
AUTOPSY
An examination of the remains showed the decedent had died around two weeks prior to being found. He’d been shot twice in the back of the head with a .22 gun, and his hands had been severed from his body, indicating the killer(s) were keen to conceal his identity.
Due to a lack of blood at the scene, it’s believed John Doe was killed elsewhere and that the barn was simply a dumpsite.
DETAILS
John Doe is described as a White male between the ages of 25 and 39. He was of a large stature, standing at 6’5″ and weighing approximately 220 pounds. His medium-brown hair was crewcut, with short sideburns, and he was found nude. Due to the state of the remains, his eye colour couldn’t be determined.
The examination of the remains showed that the decedent had a previously-healed nasal fracture and a condition known as plagiocephaly – flat head syndrome – meaning the back of his head was flat. His teeth also showed signs of extensive work. He had a fixed 10-unit porcelain and a porcelain to metal bridge with missing teeth that had been replaced with porcelain pontics.
The DNA Doe Project is currently looking into the case, and the organization’s work has uncovered some key information:
- He was most likely of Serbian, Romanian or Croatian heritage.
- He may have been born abroad or was the child of immigrants.
- He or his ancestors may have lived near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Detroit, Michigan; and/or the states of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
The DNA Doe Project is currently hoping to speak with members of the public whose family tree includes the surnames Damovich, Nydich, Vignovich, Stanovich, Bogojevic, Ljubesavljevic and/or Stoyadinovich.
RULE OUTS
- Harvey Allen Kays, who went missing from Franklin County, Kentucky, on December 12, 1988.
- Jerry Dewayne Plaster, who went missing from Manassas, Virginia, on April 16, 1988.
- Christopher James Winkler, who went missing from Burlington, Wisconsin, on February 16, 1987.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION
John Doe’s dentals are available for comparison.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the Kentucky State Police at (859) 428-1212 or FBI ViCAP at +1 (800) 634-4097. Tips can also be called into the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office at (502) 489-5209 or anonymously to the State Police at +1 (800) 222-5555.
Image Credit: Catyana Falsetti/Teresa Redman (via Unidentified Wiki)
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